Green Days
by nanayoung
Summary: He really should have said no. But when 21 year old Ben Tennyson was told that an alternate universe needed his help, he couldn't turn away. Now he finds himself de-aged, all alone, in a comic book universe with no clear idea of what he was supposed to do. But hey, he's Ben 10. He'll do what he always does: crack some jokes, bust some heads, and save the world, one alien at a time.
1. Prologue

**Chapter One: ****Prologue**

There were times that Ben hated being a hero.

De-aged to fourteen years old, by himself in a new universe with no one to help him, this was one of those times.

Granted, it was partly his fault. He really should have said no to Paradox when he asked him for help. But things were slow; there hadn't been another alien invasion or a crisis in weeks, and for him that was saying something. Gwen and Kevin were off at college, the universe was calm for once and everything was peaceful. For the first time in 11 years he had nothing to do.

So of course he hated every moment of it. It left him antsy and paranoid. There was never _nothing _to do; something _always _happened. In his experience, whenever things were calm, it just meant something bigger and badder than before would come around and screw things up again, and an even _worse _crisis would call all his attention.

So when Paradox summoned him and asked him for his help he was ready and prepared to take down anyone or anything that was messing things up again. He thought it was the standard end-of-the-universe package: some idiot would try and take over the universe or destroy it or whatever, and he would have to come and stop them. You know, typical Thursday.

But what gave away that this wasn't the usual emergency was when Paradox said that he could actually say no on this one, that he could walk away and pick someone else for the job. That no, he didn't have to do this, that he could walk away with a clear conscious.

For the first time in his life, Ben was given a choice.

No one, not since that fateful day he found the Omnitrix, had _ever _given him a choice about things. He had the power, so he was always expected to do something. He really had no say in it and was always told he had to do something when things went wrong. Bare in mind, he wasn't complaining; he would have done something whether or not anyone asked him to because that was simply who he was. But no one had ever sat him down and directly told him that he could say no, that someone else could handle it. Because it had _always _been him; there was never anyone else who had the power to stand up, to fight against the evil and chaos that wanted to consume the universe.

Oh sure, people had told him that he could walk away, but he knew they didn't really mean it. They didn't have anyone else but him at their disposal. It was his power, his responsibility, and at times the pressure kind of weighed on him. That's why he always seemed to do stupid things at times; he just needed a break, to do something silly once and a while, even if it did get him in trouble.

But this time was different. Paradox explicitly said that he could deny this one with no repercussions. And while the guy could be a little too mysical for his tastes, Ben knew that the professor wouldn't lie about important things like this. He could actually turn away this time, and even though he knew he would accept whatever task Paradox asked of him-if only to stop the boredom- he still appreciated the thought. Though, knowing him, the scientist probably already knew he would accept anyway. So he accepted and readied himself for whatever came next.

Literal seconds after he agreed to help Paradox everything went black, and he woke up on the outskirts of a town next to a sign that said, "Welcome to Jump City!" in bold red print.

He knew there was something wrong with him when he tried to stand up and immediately fell flat on his face. Trying to stand up again had the same results so, leaning on the sign for balance, he slowly stood up on wobbly legs and looked down at himself.

He was shorter, probably 5 foot 7 inches. He was smaller, his body had lost most of the muscle and definition that he gained over the years, probably why he was so unbalanced. He had lost most of his reach and from what he could tell, he had lost like three shoe sizes. He was definitely younger than he used to be.

That son-of-a-bitch. He totally de-aged him!

The fact that he was actually cursing really showed how much Ben was upset about this. He hardly ever cursed.

At a guess he'd say he was maybe fourteen or so, definitely not old enough to fool anyone in this new universe that he was an adult. Which, of course, meant that he was at the mercy of any able-bodied adult that happened to find him since he wasn't old enough to take care of himself. He'd probably be put into foster care or something, which would be a major setback since he'd be constantly watched, making him unable to use the Omnitrix.

Which would mean that he wouldn't be able to do whatever the hell Paradox wanted him to do. The old man wasn't exactly forthcoming with information; he just told him that he would go through a few changes and that he might be familiar with the universe he was being dropped into. Which, in retrospect, was of no help.

Next time he was approached by a near omnipotent being who asked for his help, he would ask questions before doing anything.

Maybe Gwen was right; he really did need to think things through sometimes.

Speaking of Gwen, he was really glad he asked Paradox about what would happen while he was away. The scientist explained that he would return him to his universe once he was done completing his task. He would return him to the exact instant he left, so that no one would ever miss him. Which was a relief really. He could only imagine how upset Gwen and Kevin would be if he had been gone for months. And that's not even going into what would happen to his home universe once his enemies found out he was gone.

He steadied himself against the sign, waiting for his legs to stop shaking, and took a hesitant step forward. He almost pitched forward, before he grabbed the sign next to him for balance, legs once again shaking.

Stupid younger body. He was so glad no one could see this.

Letting go of the sign and taking a few steps forward, Ben Tennyson, formerly twenty-one year old superhero and owner of the Omnitrix, started slowly talking towards the city in the distance, unaware of what would await him.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was so short. just think of it as an introduction to the story. **

**I came up with this idea when I read this really good fic called, "Ben Titan" by Codecrash. And while this may seem a bit similar, there will be a few changes. Most notably, it will take place before the Titans arrive at Jump City and continue on throughout the series. **

**I wasn't sure what to based this fanfic on; Teen Titans or Teen Titans Go. So I'm doing a mixture of the two, though I'll mostly use Teen Titan elements since I'm more familiar with that one. There will be elements of the Justice League here and there, but I'll mostly focus on the Titans. **

**Please send me any advice or comments you have. All criticism is welcome, I'd love to know how to improve my writing. **


	2. The lay of the land

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10 or the Teen Titans. **

**Chapter 2: The lay of the land **

Despite what most people would be led to believe, it takes a large amount of skill in order to wield the Omnitrix. Shape-shifting is more than turning a dial and pressing a green button. It takes a considerable amount of time in order to get used to the mental strain that comes with a whole new body and biology. The limbs and organs that you took for granted your entire life were suddenly replaced with something completely alien to what you were used to. Nothing works right, you look completely different and— depending on your new senses— you feel as if you are on a completely different planet. Because how you perceive the world largely depends on your senses. And when those exact senses are changed at a drastic rate, you feel as if the world around you is completely unfamiliar. And when those exact senses change without warning and with little time to process them, then you're left with a slight problem called "sensory overload".

Ben had never told Grandpa or Gwen about what it was like when he first turned into Heatblast. Being unable to breath right those first few moments when his lungs shrunk. His limbs failing him as they grew black and hard to the point where he was unable to feel. His eyes sinking into his skull and his ears shriveling up. His tongue disappearing, his skull caving in on itself. That brief, eternal moment between forms when everything went dark and he hung there in a void, unable to scream or move, unable to see, hear, or _feel_ at all. It wasn't painful; the Omnitrix negated any painful sensations that could come with shape-shifting. But the lack of pain just made it scarier because at that point? Ben couldn't feel anything. It was as if, for a brief moment that felt like an eternity, he didn't exist. Nothing could have prepared a 10 year old boy for that.

Then he started to feel hot. As if the sun was shining on his face, then it went hotter and hotter and hotter, to the point where he was _burning alive_. But it didn't matter because in that moment he loved the heat, loved the burning, loved the _flames_ that licked at is very soul. He embraced the flames, embraced the heat, embraced the sheer power that over whelmed him and it was as if his world view exploded because he could _feel_ after what felt like an eternity. He could feel the energy surround him, feeding him never ending amounts of energy and light. He could feel his _core_, the very molten core that was his heart, keeping himself together when by all rights of nature and the universe he should have fell apart, harnessing the endless energy at the palm of his hands. The sheer amount of power that he could weld was invigorating, so much more than his then 10 year old mind could handle.

He could _see_, see in a way that was entirely new, entirely different to what he was used to because he could see the _heat_ that surrounded the forest, see the sheer amount of _energy_ that was in the very air that he breathed. He could feel the heat in the very earth, deep within its own core, and it called out to him in a voice older than what he could comprehend, welcoming him into its fold. The world that he lived in all his life was so much _bigger_ than he imagined, so full of life and _feeling_. It overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn't move, couldn't think; all he could do was relish in the feelings it would invoke in him. It was like a drug; no matter how much a part of him wanted to look away, a bigger part of him would just want more and more. If Gwen hadn't started shouting for his name, it was very likely that he would have continued to stand there unmoving for a _very_ long time.

As is, it took a considerable amount of time before he used the Omnitrix again. It was only when his family was in danger, that he took up the high tech watch and changed himself. He eventually got used to it; he had to, since everyone was counting on him. But it was still very unsettling, even after all this time.

Being de-aged to fourteen was no different from turning into any of his other forms. In fact, it was actually much easier since he was still biologically human and he didn't have to go through the whole disorienting shape-shifting process. Granted, the increase in hormones were annoying and he was a long less stronger than what he was used to, but he was used to working with an unfamiliar body. It was still nothing compared to having his species and gender changed right down to the atomic level.

Usually whenever he gained a new form he had to work out the mechanics on the fly, all the while fighting off some criminal or evil "mastermind" that decided to mess with him that day. On this occasion, he actually had time to process the situation and experiment with his new/old limbs without an enemy at his back and the universe on the line. So it wasn't as bad as it could have been. At least the professor hadn't dropped him straight into a war zone.

Now that he thought about it, Ben couldn't really give a good reason as to why Paradox would have de-aged him in the first place. You'd think that if a universe were in danger he would have wanted him in top shape. Maybe he was supposed to blend in with a particular demographic? Did Paradox want him to be underestimated? It could also be possible that Paradox made a mistake, though he seriously doubted it. They guy was way too precise to make such a big mistake. Was he doing it just to mess with him? The guy _did_ have a twisted sense of humor. Then again, if he had been stuck in a single moment of time for centuries on end, Ben would probably be a bit insane too.

(It never occurred to Ben that he let said insane omnipotent time traveler teleport him to an entirely different universe just because he was bored. He didn't have room to talk about what does and doesn't make a person sane when wasn't exactly all in his right mind himself.)

Either way, now that he wasn't stumbling all over himself, he could finally take control of the situation and find out where he ended up this time. He sat down on the ground, careful not to be too close to the cars that were roaring past him, and rolled up his sleeve. He twisted the dial on the Omnitrix, causing it to light up, awaiting his orders.

"Scan the area. We need to find out where we are." The device hummed for a few seconds, before flashing a dark green. A holographic screen appeared above it, flashing the word "**ERROR**" over and over.

"Oh, come on! What's wrong _this_ time?" While not surprising, it still was a major annoyance when the Omnitrix messed up on him.

It hummed again, before flashing another message.

**TERRITORY IS ON AN UNKNOWN PLANET. PERMISSION TO SCAN FURTHER? **

Ben raised an eyebrow.The Omnitrix usually wasn't this responsive. "Permission granted, I guess."

**SCANNING. **

The hologram disappeared, and the alien device continued to hum and scan. Ben started down at the device attached to his wrist for a moment, before shaking his head and continuing to walk down the road. After a few minutes, another message appeared.

**PLANET IS IN AN UNKNOWN SOLAR SYSTEM. PERMISSION TO SCAN FURTHER? **

Ben rolled his eyes. "Sure, why not."

**SCANNING. **

After about half an hour, another message appeared.

**SOLAR SYSTEM IS IN AN UNKNOWN GALAXY. PERMISSION TO SCAN FURTHER? **

He sighed in frustration. "_Yes_. Just hurry up already." He could feel a headache coming on already.

It took a good hour before the Omnitrix responded again. By this point, Ben could make out a few distinct details of the buildings up ahead.

**GALAXY IS LOCATED IN AN UNKNOWN UNIVERSE. PERMISSION TO SCAN FURTHER? **

For a moment, Ben was sorely tempted to smash the stupid thing into a telephone pole. As is, he settled for simply shouting at the thing."_Yes_. Yes, you can scan further. You know what, if you come across even more problems you can keep on scanning! I don't care! You don't need my permission to scan things, just do it and _STOP BOTHERING ME_."

Ben breathed heavily on the Omnitrix, the stress of the day finally getting to him. A few seconds passed, before it finally answered.

**UNIVERSAL SCAN IS UNDERWAY. ESTIMATED TIME... THREE EARTH WEEKS. **

"ARGH!"

-**{Scene Break}**-

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

Meditation was the only thing that could keep her emotions in control. The only thing that could keep her powers in line. All her life, she had been told that a single slip in concentration could be fatal to those around her. All her life she had to fight to keep a certain part of her- a part that _the beast_ had left when she was sired- under lock and key.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos_."

Breath out.

A constant struggle that at times, she'd thought she would never win. To fight against one's self, to fight against the core of who she was. Because as much as she and the monks that she called family tried to deny it, _the beast_ was a part of her. A part that she could never get rid of. All she could do was fight it, and keep it under lock and key.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

But in the end, it wouldn't matter what she or her family did. Because it was all leading up to this point. Time was almost up and she knew there was no stopping _him_ when the time came. All they could do was delay the inevitable.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

Her name was Raven.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

Student of Azar, founder and creator of Azarath.

Breath in.

"_Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos._"

Breath out.

And daughter of Trigon the Terrible.

Breath in.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos."

Breath out.

She was fourteen years old.

Breath in.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos."

Breath out.

And in two years... she will lead the worlds into an age of darkness and destruction.

Breath in.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos."

Breath out.

She cannot stop her destiny. Even if she wanted to.

Breath in.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos."

Breath out.

All she could do was wait. Wait for the inevitable end. Wait for the destruction of all she held dear. Wit for-

"_**Hello daughter."**_

Her eyes snapped open.

"_No_..."

**So sorry for the late response guys! For all your patience, here's another chapter. **

**Yeah things seem a bit slow now, but don't worry, I'll be getting to the good stuff in a few chapters or so, but right now I need to introduce all the main characters and set the scene. **

**Heads up for Da-Awesome-One, who inspired me to get up off my ass and write this chapter. God only knows how long this would have been sitting in my files if he/she didn't give me a heads up. **

**Make sure to tell me any thoughts or concerns you may have. I don't mind criticism, I would love the chance to improve on my writing. Make sure to hit that review button and send me your comments. **


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